Luxury resort bans gadgets at swimming pool to create guest ‘haven’

The “River Pool” at Ayana Resort & Spa. Ayana

Look, as great as it is to have all these fancy laptops and smartphones around us, sometimes we can become too attached to them. And when you’re on vacation, you just have to find a way to break free from technology. That’s why a luxury resort in Bali, Indonesia is banning electronic devices from one of its swimming pools. With its “In the Moment” campaign, the five-star Ayana Resort & Spa wants to encourage its guests to unplug and fully enjoy their me-time, which it feels can be more easily accomplished if they’re not worrying about calls, checking email or what’s happening on social media.

Ayana Resort & Spa is only going to enforce these rules at its River Pool (pictured above), between the hours of 9AM to 5PM, in what it hopes will become a “haven for guests.” The Resort is making the entire process smooth for visitors by installing signage around the pool, as well as offering lockers where people can safely store their devices and pick them up after their tech-free chill session. “Our intention is to preserve who we are by valuing human connection and me-time,” Ayana Resort & Spa told Lonely Planet News. “The ethos of the River Pool is to create a place of tranquillity, where our guests can truly relax.”

As a reward for having the will power to let go of your gadgets for a few hours, the resort created a cocktail dubbed “In the Moment,” but you’ll have to make your way to the Ayana to find out what it’s all about. Maybe Jack White will have his next “human experience” concert there.